The big iChat problems. Audio/Video (now completely broken in 10.7.3), the "not-authorized" problem

Question

So, I am running iChat on OS X Lion 10.7.3 on an early-2011 MBP 13'' . These problems have been here for a while, though (I got my comp with 10.7.0). I have AIM/GMail/Yahoo connected..
One problem is the issue of non-authorized people. There is a list of "not authorized" people that I have to scroll past in my "offline" section of iChat buddies before I actually get to the real offline contacts. Big note here: All these people have the address (something)@aol.com. These contacts have come up as a result of my gmail connection. You see, a few months ago Gmail and AIM did this chat unification process where @aol.com contacts can be just added into Gmail for chatting. These @aol.com copies come up asking for an invite when the REAL AIM address person talks to me. The invites leave once I press decline, but then they stay on my list as not authorized. If I delete these "not-authorized" copies, the invites will come up again and the cycle will repeat. It is a nuisance considering how much of these false contacts are on my list.
Second problem is video/audio chat in general. This issue really applies on AIM/Yahoo—there is nothing for Gmail because people usually use the web interface which simply doesn't work with iChat video/audio. If the people used Google talk, the issue written below would probably come up.
See, what happens is that…(now in 10.7.3), video/audio chat is simply broken, simple as that. My contacts always tell me that an error has occurred when trying to accept my video chat invite. It simply doesn't work. They are using AIM desktop in most cases. When it DID used to work (to a very limited extent, I'll say; it was hit or miss earlier pre 10.7.3, now it's just miss), it was just video but NO audio. They could see/hear me, I could only see them. When I did audio chats, they hear me, I..don't hear them (so audio chats were pointless). The only case where this problem doesn't happen is where it's Mac to Mac, iChat to iChat. VERY limited in use of audio/video chat, if you ask me.

Answer 1

Hi,
If AIM contacts have been added to your Google Buddy List then I would login to Google and remove them from there  (the iGoogle or GoogleMail web pages will show the Chat option)
Whilst they are still in the List then the Authorization request will probably be resent (In this case it is probably being generated by the method Google are using to add the AIM names as iChat only sends it once).
Google/Jabber Video chats is only iChat to iChat and so is Yahoo with iChat 6.
The Yahoo App streams Video which People can be allowed to see and Audio is added in as an Audio Chat.
The connection Process is not the same and iChat/AIM
Jabber and Google use Jingle to Connect (in fact Google's version is not that compatible with other Jabber apps).
This means iChat to the Standalone PC app  or any Web Browser using the Google Video Plug-in (PC or Mac) or to any Jabber app that is using a Google ID (or a Jabber ID) will not work.
On the iChat to AIM on a PC.
This has always been a bit of a hit and miss affair.
Some people have no trouble but other spend ages trying to set things up and never find the solution.
This is the Original Users Tip  (up to about AIM5.9)
A "replacement" for that tip that has not made it across yet.
I have yet to try Video to the Web Login version that is now on offer.
However I would limit the Bandwidth in iChat Menu > Preferences > Video Section to 500kbps (possibly try 200kbps for 1-1 chats) as you will not know the interent speed available to the Buddy if they are using the web login.
Comparisons
When you compare iChat actual functions to what you would like it to do it can appear to be limited.
On the basis that you would want your IM app to be able to have Buddies from other services listed in a Buddy list (combined) or Lists which apps do you know of can do that and Video to some of them ?
Adium and ProteusX can both have Buddies from the major Services ina  Buddy List but don't do Audio or Video.
Yahoo and MSN both allow the other's Buddies in the list but I am not sure about Video or Audio chats
They cannot connect to Jabber or AIM buddies even for text chats.
Jabber does depend on the server you use and whether that does Transports for you to have text chats with other services.
Instructions for iChat.
Mercury IM is a JAVA version of MSN and still has not got to Audio and Video
Similar for aMSN
Gizmo5 and YakforFree both died...
Skype is Cross Platform  but is only 1-1 in Video chat.  (cost extra for 3 and 4 way chats)
Yahoo had dropped support for their Mac version now iChat has the Yahoo option  (you can still download it  - IT being the beta it has been for  years).
2:40 PM      Saturday; February 11, 2012
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
  iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.3)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously